The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-07-06
A Vermont Colony i'm Dakota.
Correspondence Springfield Republican,

correspondence Springfield Republican,
suppose if one of the pioneer settlers of
Ohio or Kentucky could visit one of the
new settlements in Dakota he would eX-
claim, in derision, What do these people
know of the hardships of primitive colony,
only twenty miles from railroad?' And
the old fellow who had hand-to-hand fight
with nature and the Indians would have
the right TO question the courage and en-
durance of those peopling these broad
prairies. mostly destitute of trees, it is true.
but with rich virgin soil only waiting the
hand of the husbandman to bud and blossom
as the rose. Yet | venture to say that there
is more repining, more dissatisfaction with
ones surroundings, more longing for the
old homes, abandoned in many instances
because a livelihood could not be secured,
than were ever heard hundred years ago
in those rude log-huts, far away from all
traces OF civilization. 1t is too cold or it is
too hot, the mails are behind time, prices
are eXorbitant are some of the lamentations
heard daily, often to be accounted for from
the fact that so many come here simply for
purposes of speculation, intending to re-
main only so long as it shall please them.
There is, therefore, constant change of
population, some going, Others coming, and
when one sells out in disgust and returns to
the tesh-pots of Egypt he is termed a" ten
derfoot,' and spoken of in a Multiplying,
Neutrality-suspicious. way by those Drawer than
himself.
Vermont City is a settlement in Edmunds
county, made eighteen months ago by a
colony from Vermont, under the leadership
of B. f. Bowman. The nearest railroad
station at that time was Ipswich, twenty
miles distant. Comfortable frame houses
were built, township organized, the town
bonded for 81 400 to build the school-house,
and the people spent their first winter in a
pleasant way, maintaining newspaper, a
literary club, religious services and a good
school. They had no post-otfice nor regular
mail, but whoever Glanced to be in Ipswich
brought in the mail for all The next spring
post-oflce was established and kept in a
"lean-to" of the postmaster's house, and a
stage began running three times week.
The single store now had two rivals one
being kept, according to the sarcastic re-
mark of the primitive dealer, in hen-coop.
The remark might not have been made had
not the persuasive clucking of the hen called
away the chickens from the original store.
hotel was opened, new colonists came in,
and the people went to work on their claims
with hopefulness and energy. In July a
severe hail-storm seriously injured the
crops, and the drouth which followed
rendered sod crops scarcely worth harvest
ing Encouragement and gloom took the
place of hope, somewhat relieved by the eX-
tension OF the Chicago, Milwaukee & st.
Paul railway through the town. A depot
was built, town site laid out and lots are
lOW III lilt L ne settlement endured
well the rigors of last winter and expects TO
make great progress the coming season.
This is fair sample of the early experiences
of new settlements in Dakota, though all
are not so fortunate in securing a railroad
So barns and dug-outs are not so numer-
GUS as one might suppose. They furnish the
best protection from cold and wind but are
an otfense to the eye. A person accustomed
to tidy, well-kept streets, turns with dis
gust from the litter and rubbish surround
ing these new homes. Foreigners are here
in large numbers, and Dakota may appro-
priately be called a cosmopolitan territory.
1t is no unusual sight TO see Russian
woman, enveoped in a mans fur overcoat,
sitting in two-wheeled vehicle, driving a
single OK in harness. or a German woman
trudging by the side of pair of oxen, TAX
ing load of grain to market. The courage
of the women in undertaking trips of ten
miles or more will be appreciated when il
is known that the houses are frequently
miles apart and the wind blows almost con
stantly in very aggravating way finding a
passage through all clothing of ordinary
texture. Sometimes weights are placed in
the bottoms of skirts to prevent their as
cending, balloon-style, over the head.
Women with big bustles and flowing